Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Don't Work

Guerriero calls ban un-American

May 19, 2003

(WASHINGTON, DC) – The Liberty Education Forum, sister organization to Log Cabin Republicans, has issued a white paper detailing a ten-year evaluation of the military Don't Ask, Don't Tell personnel policy. This study, authored by Aaron Belkin, Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of California, Santa Barbara, examined whether the military ban on homosexuals serving openly in the armed forces enhances military effectiveness.

"This ban simply does not strengthen the United States military," said Liberty Education Forum President Patrick Guerriero. "This is the only law in America that authorizes the firing of an American simply for being gay, it is wrong, it does not strengthen our military and it is un-American," he continued.

"Our study shows that the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy imposes five different types of costs on the armed forces, including talent-loss, financial costs, undermining the military's reputation, undermining the work environment and unit cohesion, and increased violence against women," added Aaron Belkin, author of the study.

"The FBI, CIA, Secret Service as well as twenty-four foreign militaries have lifted their bans without suffering a decrease in performance. American armed forces have worked successfully with openly gay service members from foreign nations in NATO, NORAD and United Nations actions and programs," continued Guerriero.

Gay military linguists have recently been removed from serving, an action that directly threatens our military preparedness.

"At a time when tensions are high around the world, we cannot jeopardize our nation's security by removing talented, valuable and in some cases irreplaceable linguists in our armed forces," continued Guerriero, "The DADT policy weakens our nation at a time when we are in a war on terror."

"As the only gay and lesbian organizations that strongly supported President Bush, our troops, and the war to liberate Iraq; the Liberty Education Forum and the Log Cabin Republicans are in a unique position to contribute in the effort to overturn the ban on gay and lesbians serving in our military," said Guerriero. "This is a military readiness issue and a fairness issue as well."

The Liberty Education Forum produced a presentation on this paper at their "Liberty for All National Symposium" last week in Washington, D.C. Speakers included Professor Belkin and Dixon Osburn, Executive Director of the Service Members Legal Defense Network (SLDN). SLDN is the nation's leader in the effort to overturn the ban. C-SPAN covered this important event.

Copies of the report are available by contacting the Liberty Education Forum, 1607 17th Street, Washington, D.C. 20009.

The Liberty Education Forum is a 501c(3) organization providing new insights on gay and lesbian issues. LEF is the sister organization to the Log Cabin Republicans.